We said...

Thank you for your feedback - we do understand how the our centre can feel very busy at times!

Clearly we would absolutely love a bigger building, but unfortunately we are currently limited by the space we have available.  

Whilst it may look busy, our classes are actually very carefully and cleverly designed to ensure that all of our Members get exactly what they need during each session. For example, our Squad floor routines are specifically structured to allow multiple Members to practice at the same time. This means they receive more practice opportunities and more regular feedback, rather than spending time waiting.

This is something we’re really proud of. Many providers operate a “one at a time” approach where Members spend a lot of time on the sidelines waiting for their turn. Our approach is designed to maximise active time, helping Members progress more quickly while staying engaged throughout the session.

There is, of course, a financial balance to consider in ensuring classes are viable. However, all of our classes run at numbers significantly lower than the recommended British Gymnastics ratios, and our Squad classes in particular operate with even smaller group sizes to maintain quality coaching.  Whilst it may not seem obvious from the seating area, there are actually a number of empty slots in all of our classes where more Members and groups could be added!

For Members who feel they would benefit from additional one-to-one time, we do offer optional private sessions. However, these are absolutely not required to be successful—our standard classes are designed to fully support progression on their own.

We really appreciate you sharing your thoughts, and we will continue to review how we use our space as the programme grows.

We said...

Thank you for your message - this is a really helpful suggestion.

At the moment, this isn’t something we’re able to implement within our app, however we can absolutely see how a filter or sort function - particularly by due date - would make things much easier to manage, especially when juggling multiple competitions or more than one child.

We’ll be sure to pass this suggestion on to our technical team for their consideration.

Thanks again for taking the time to share your feedback.

We said...

Thank you for your feedback - this is a really understandable question.

The use of team transport to and from competitions is something we introduced as part of creating a fun, social experience for our Members and is a popular part of the day for our Members. Travelling together helps build team spirit, settles nerves, and allows the day to feel like a shared experience rather than just an individual performance.

It also reduces the need for parents to organise their own transport, which we know can be challenging - especially with timings, parking, and logistics at busy venues. Importantly, it helps ensure that all Members are able to access competitions. We know this is something many of our families rely on. In fact, earlier this season, when we removed the travel option for events in Newcastle following parent requests, we received feedback within minutes from other parents who were relying on the team transport in order for their child to attend.

From an operational point of view, it also makes things much easier for our Coaches. Having everyone arrive together means we know exactly where all Members are, can register the team efficiently, and organise seating and preparation areas quickly and effectively.

Finally, it helps prepare Members for larger competitions in the future, where travelling as part of a team is often a formal requirement and parents are not permitted to travel. This approach gives Members a good stepping stone towards that level of independence in a supported environment.

As always, we continue to review all aspects of our programme as it grows, and we’ll take this feedback into account as part of our end-of-season review.

Thank you again for sharing your thoughts.

We said...

Thank you for your feedback - this is a really valid question, and we appreciate that our “One-For-All” policy can sometimes feel confusing, particularly for parents who may not fully see the purpose behind it.

The policy was introduced to make sure that every one of our Members has a consistent support network at competitions - people who can celebrate their successes with them, and just as importantly, support them when things don’t quite go to plan.

It also ensures that Members have a team of peers around them throughout the day. This plays a big role in helping manage nerves, building excitement, and making competitions feel like a fun and enjoyable experience rather than something intimidating. Being the only Member on a competition floor can be quite a daunting experience, and this approach helps ensure that no one is ever in that position.

While it might seem that other Members or parents could provide that support, in reality this isn’t always possible. Members are often competing at different times, and there are occasions where a child could otherwise find themselves without teammates present. Additionally, parents aren’t permitted on the field of play, so they’re not able to provide that direct support in those key moments.

Another important part of this policy is allowing Members to support each other. Watching their teammates perform, cheering them on, and sharing the experience together is something our Members really value, and it helps strengthen the team environment we aim to create.

That said, as our Squad activities continue to grow, this is something we keep under regular review. We’ll be gathering and considering feedback at the end of the season to make sure we’re continuing to strike the right balance for all of our Members and families.

Thank you again for taking the time to share your thoughts.

We said...

It wouldn’t be right for us to commit to a ’non-travelling’ team next season at this point, as many of the Members of Wild really value their chance to compete away from home and the opportunities that this creates.  Equally, many of our Cubs Members are keen to be given the opportunity to perform away!  

It is also important to consider that routines are set based on a number of factors including both age and level, so we need to make sure that we have a suitable offering for all of our Members before committing to any plans for next season.  This is especially important that many of our Members are actually wanting to increase the number of competitions they take part in, not reduce them!

However, please rest assured that we have received your feedback and this will be considered but at this point definitely isn’t confirmed.  As always, full details of competition plans will be released at the same time as Squad offers for 2026/27 so parents can determine if their offer suits their commitments.

We said...

Thank you for your message – and it’s great to hear that your child is enjoying the competitions.

This is actually something we trialled this season with one of our younger groups, where we limited competitions to more local events (such as Newcastle). There were definitely some positives to this, particularly around reducing costs and making things more accessible for families. However, there were also some downsides, including fewer competition opportunities, less variety in events, and a slightly more limited overall experience for Members.

It’s something we would certainly consider again and continue to review, but it’s not something we would look to commit to across all groups at this stage. Ultimately, our aim is to offer a range of options to suit different needs – including varying levels of commitment, experience, and financial considerations. This allows families to choose the pathway that works best for them, rather than having a one-size-fits-all approach.

We really appreciate you raising it though, and it’s helpful for us to understand what families are looking for as we plan for next season.

We said...

Thank you for your suggestion regarding the CCTV screen.

The screen currently showing the trampoline area is positioned to allow for occasional viewing, rather than continuous watching, which helps avoid the need for prolonged periods of sitting in one position.

The main screen located near the gym entrance has a different purpose and plays an important role in the overall running of the venue. It is used to display key information for all Members and parents, including class start times, important updates, announcements, and wider AAAsports activity. It also supports our communications and advertising across the programme and helps ensure Members are entering the gym at the correct times.

Because of this, we’re unable to move the CCTV display onto that main screen. However, we do appreciate the feedback regarding viewing comfort and will keep this in mind when reviewing screen positioning in the future.

Thank you for your suggestion.

At the moment, we’re not able to send a single combined total of fees due in advance of billing. Our system is designed to show a full breakdown of charges within your account rather than a pre-calculated summary.

Your account ledger already provides a detailed and real-time view of everything due, including individual items, due dates, and the ability to make full or partial payments at any time. This ensures complete transparency and flexibility in how payments are managed, without relying on a static total which may change.

We appreciate the feedback and understand the idea of a single total figure, however the current system is designed to give you full control and visibility over your account.

We said...

Thank you for your feedback regarding our Adult Gymnastics class.

Following your comments, we’ve taken a number of actions to improve the experience straight away.

We’ve adjusted the class timings slightly, moving both the start and finish back by 5 minutes. This is to help relieve the congestion during changeover and ensure everyone can access the session more smoothly without losing valuable coaching time at the start.

We’ve also spoken directly with the coaches involved to reinforce expectations around actively supporting all Members throughout the session. In addition, we have temporarily added a third coach into the class to increase overall support and improve the amount of coaching time available to each individual.

It’s also worth mentioning that all of our coaches are there to support every Member. If you ever feel you need help or want more input on something specific, please feel comfortable approaching any of the coaches during the session, not just one. This helps ensure everyone is fully supported and avoids situations where one coach becomes overloaded while others are underutilised.

We’re confident these changes will make a noticeable difference, and we’ll continue to monitor the class to ensure it’s delivering the level of support and structure we expect.

We said...

This is a great suggestion and we completely understand why parents would like to see exactly what skills their child is working towards.

The skills required at each level of the TURBO Awards are already published and can be viewed by parents through the AAAsports App, allowing you to see the skills your child is progressing towards.

While we appreciate the idea of step-by-step skill cards, this isn’t something we would produce as it could encourage parents to try and coach skills outside of the Class environment. These skills are designed to be taught by qualified Coaches in a controlled setting, and attempting to teach them without the appropriate training could increase the risk of injury.

Our entire progression pathway within Classes is designed to safely develop the skills required for the award scheme. Each activity and station helps Members build the strength, coordination, and technique needed to achieve the next level.

If a Member would like some additional time to practise specific skills ahead of the next TURBO week, we do offer 1-2-1 Classes, where a Coach can work with them on any areas they would like to develop further.

We said...

Thank you for the suggestion.

At the moment, our system applies charges to all AAAsports accounts on the 16th of each month for the following month’s Classes. These are then automatically collected on the 15th of the following month.

While it isn’t currently possible to set individual payment dates for each Member, you can make a manual payment at any time through your AAAsports account once the charges have been added.

For example, if you are paid on the 1st of the month, you can simply log in after you have been paid and make the payment manually. If the balance has already been paid, the automatic payment on the 15th will not be taken.

This option allows Members to effectively align payments with their payday if they wish to do so.

We appreciate the feedback and will continue reviewing suggestions that help make managing memberships as easy as possible.

We said...

Thank you for raising this.

We are aware that the waiting area can become very busy at certain times, particularly during peak periods when multiple Classes are finishing and starting close together.

Classes are timed so that Members can enter shortly before the previous Class exits. However, in practice some families choose not to go into the gym straight away, which can mean people remain in the waiting area longer than intended and this can add to the congestion.

We are also aware that the storage cubes can become very full during busy periods. We are currently looking at installing some additional cubes to help with this. Unfortunately, one of the ongoing challenges we face is that we are restricted by the physical size of the building, so there are limits to how much space we can create within the existing layout.

In relation to seating, we unfortunately cannot guarantee seats for everyone. Members who are under 7 years old require a parent or guardian to remain in the building during their Class, so these parents must take priority for the available seating. There are currently around 36 seats available, which broadly aligns with the number of Members who may be in Classes at the same time, meaning there should generally be enough seating for one parent or guardian per Member.

However, when more than one parent or family member chooses to stay and watch, this naturally has a knock-on effect and can mean there are not enough seats available for others. With the space we have available, we unfortunately cannot provide unlimited seating.

Regarding the suggestion of introducing a gap between Classes, this would mean that Class durations would need to be reduced to accommodate the additional transition time. For example, a 5-minute gap between Classes would likely require Classes to reduce from 60 minutes to around 55 minutes in order to maintain the overall timetable. This is something we suspect many Members and parents may not welcome as it reduces training time, but we are open to reviewing this if there was a clear preference from the wider community.

We appreciate the feedback and will continue to review how we manage busy changeover periods while working within the space available in the building.

We said...

Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback - it’s really appreciated.

We’re really pleased to hear that the additional competition feedback included in the evaluations has been helpful. We introduced this as a way of giving Members and families a clearer understanding of how routines are scoring and where squads can continue to develop. We’ll continue to monitor feedback from the wider Cheer Membership to see whether this is something we keep as a regular part of the evaluations going forward.

We’re always looking at ways to expand and improve the opportunities available to our Members, but we only have a finite amount of time, space and coaching hours available across the week. In terms of extending routine class time, any additional classes or training hours would need to be charged for separately, and as you’ve highlighted, this creates a challenging position as we understand that not all of our families are able to dedicate the time and finances to additional hours on a regular basis.

As our programme continues to grow, we will continue to look for opportunities for all Members at a suitable commitment level for everyone but in the short term, you may have already seen that we’ve introduced our new Cheer Skills class every Saturday which is designed to help Members work on specific elements to improve their overall performances. This class is currently optional and priced at just £19.99, allowing those Members who are able to attend the chance to develop further both for this and future seasons!

Thank you again for your feedback and support.

We said…

Thank you to everyone who shared this suggestion. We completely understand the thinking behind it, and we know how much our Members enjoy working on their routines and developing their skills.

At the moment, unfortunately we simply don’t have enough free space in the gym timetable to extend the routine classes. Our programme already operates very close to full capacity across the week, and increasing routine class times would require additional gym availability that we currently don’t have.

Alongside this, extending the classes would also require additional coaching hours. With the number of squads and classes running each week, increasing routine training time would have a significant knock-on effect on staffing and the overall programme structure.

Another important consideration is the impact on families. Increasing the length of routine classes would mean increasing the cost of those classes, and we know that not all families would be able to commit to additional weekly time or increased fees. It’s important to us that squad participation remains accessible to as many Members as possible.

For Members who would like additional opportunities to work on their skills, we have introduced the Cheer Skills Class on Saturdays. This provides a chance to spend extra time developing key elements that support routine performance, while keeping it optional for families who are able to attend.

We’ll continue to review the programme as AAAsports grows, and if opportunities arise in the future to expand training time without negatively impacting families or the wider programme, we’ll certainly look at them. Thank you again to everyone who took the time to share their feedback.

We said...

Thank you for your message, and firstly for the lovely feedback about Millie and the Coaches. We will absolutely pass that on — it’s always appreciated.

We completely understand that the financial commitment involved in Squad can feel significant, particularly when you are managing everything as a single parent. Competitive cheer does require a higher level of commitment than recreational Classes, and we recognise that this can be challenging at times.

In relation to kit, full uniform changes are not an annual occurrence. Major updates typically happen every few years. This season felt more noticeable as the previous tracksuit requirement was replaced with the new cheer jacket. Families were advised in August not to purchase the tracksuit once the upcoming change was confirmed.

The new jackets were introduced to better reflect the style and presentation expected within competitive cheerleading. They are designed specifically for cheer, with the sparkle and team branding that aligns with competition environments, rather than the more traditional tracksuit style typically seen in gymnastics and trampoline disciplines. The feedback from Members collecting them this week ahead of competition has been very positive.

That said, we do understand that any new kit item represents an additional cost, and we appreciate that this can feel frustrating when commitments fall close together.

Regarding competitions, the number of away events this season has remained in line with last year, with only one additional local competition added. Competition commitments and expected events are outlined prior to joining Squad so families can make an informed decision about the level of involvement. Reducing competitions would impact routine development, team progression and overall competitive experience, and at present the number is unlikely to decrease.

We do try to structure payments across the season to avoid large one-off amounts where possible. While part payments are now available online, families are also able to pay in advance and hold credit on their account if that helps with monthly budgeting.

We genuinely appreciate you raising this. If you would ever like to speak directly about your individual circumstances, please do feel free to get in touch.

We said...

Thank you for raising this.

We do recognise that Class changeover times can feel busy, particularly during peak periods when multiple Classes are finishing and starting within short timeframes.

Introducing a 5–10 minute gap between every session unfortunately is not operationally feasible. It would reduce the effective training time for every Class, significantly impact the number of Classes we can deliver each day, and create a knock-on effect across the full timetable. Reducing Classes from 60 minutes to 55 minutes would directly affect programme delivery, progression and overall capacity.

The size and layout of the building also mean that a full staggered exit and delayed entry system would be difficult to manage safely in practice. Holding the next Class in the doorway while previous Members are exiting would likely create congestion in different areas rather than removing it.

That said, we absolutely agree that safe and orderly changeovers are important.

We will be reminding parents and carers of the importance of:

• Allowing exiting Members and families to leave first

• Keeping walkways clear

• Avoiding gathering directly in access routes

• Supporting younger Members in identifying their collection point

Coaches are also instructed to support smooth dispersal at the end of Classes and encourage Members to move promptly and safely into the waiting area.

We continually review how we manage peak transition times and are exploring practical adjustments that can improve flow without impacting training time.

We appreciate the feedback and will continue working to ensure changeovers remain safe and well managed.

We said...

Thank you for the ideas — we really appreciate the creativity behind them.

We are aware that, after years of heavy use and high footfall, parts of the centre are starting to look a little tired. With the volume of Members we have coming through each week, wear and tear is inevitable. Refreshing and improving the environment is something we take seriously and is part of our ongoing planning.

Suggestions around wall graphics, colour and stronger visual identity are helpful and align with the kind of improvements we consider as part of future updates. We want the centre to feel energetic, modern and something our Members are proud of.

In terms of food and drink ideas, we regularly review what is practical within the space and operationally manageable, particularly around seasonal items. We’ll certainly keep these suggestions in mind as we look at future options.

We are also continually expanding and refreshing our merchandise range. New items are being introduced gradually, and ideas such as caps and additional outerwear are useful as we shape future collections.

Thank you again for taking the time to share your thoughts. We value constructive feedback and are always working to improve the experience for our Members.

We said...

Thank you for your feedback.

We understand that it can feel cold during the winter for parents who choose to stay and watch. Due to the design of the building, the waiting area and main hall are open to each other, which makes it very difficult to effectively heat one space independently of the other.

When the main heaters are left on for extended periods, Members and Coaches who are actively training often become too warm and request that the heating is reduced. We therefore have to balance the comfort of those participating in Classes with those seated in the viewing area.

Hot drinks are available to purchase from the coffee machine in reception during colder months, and we are continuing to look at practical ways to improve comfort in the waiting area going forward.

In relation to event and competition payments, we recognise that families are paid on different dates and may prefer to spread the cost. In response to feedback, we have now enabled partial payments via Members’ online AAAsports accounts and the AAAsports App. This allows families to make smaller payments over time, provided the full balance is cleared by the stated payment deadline.

We appreciate feedback and will always review suggestions where they are operationally workable.

We said...

Thank you for raising this. We completely understand why, as a parent, you would want reassurance around access to the building.

During our busiest periods we can have over 150 Members and parents arriving and leaving across different Classes within short time windows. Operating a strict “lock and buzzer only” system during these peak periods would unfortunately cause significant congestion at the entrance, delays to Classes starting, and potential safeguarding issues created by large groups gathering outside.

It would also not be practical or proportionate for Coaches to attempt to individually identify every parent or carer entering. Families change week to week, grandparents or other carers may attend, and with the volume of Members we have, it would not be realistic for Coaches to personally recognise every adult.

That said, access is risk-assessed based on activity level and footfall:

• During quieter times and later evening Classes, the doors are locked and access is controlled.

• During events such as Fun Days doors are also locked and monitored.

The building is fully covered by CCTV across outside areas, entrances, corridors and communal spaces. Footage is recorded in line with our policy and, at regular intervals throughout the day, is also monitored live by members of the management team. This includes the main entrance and surrounding access areas, allowing us to respond quickly if required.

In addition:

• Coaches are positioned within the gym and reception area during busy changeovers.

• The toilet areas are in communal monitored spaces rather than isolated zones.

• We operate clear supervision procedures in line with safeguarding guidance and Duty of Care expectations.

Safeguarding is about layered protection rather than a single measure. Controlled access at certain times, CCTV monitoring, staff visibility, open training environments and clear supervision procedures all work together to reduce risk.

We absolutely take building security seriously and continually review procedures to ensure they are proportionate, practical and effective for the size and nature of our operation.

If you would like to discuss this further, we are always happy to talk through the arrangements in more detail.

We said...

We completely understand the importance of keeping all children safe and respecting everyone’s privacy during Classes.

We have now added a clear on-screen reminder across our venue screens stating that photography and filming during Classes is not permitted.

This aligns with our safeguarding and photography policies, which are in place to protect all Members and ensure a safe environment for everyone.

Our Team will actively challenge anyone seen taking photos or filming, or where this is reported to us. If you ever notice something, please let a member of staff know immediately so we can address it straight away.

Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility, and we appreciate your support in helping us maintain a secure and respectful environment for all Members.